JIMEX 2020: India, Japan three-day naval exercise in Arabian sea concludes today

New Delhi: The India-Japan maritime bilateral exercise JIMEX 2020, between the Indian Navy and Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), concluded on Monday.

The fourth edition of the naval exercise took place in the North Arabian Sea. Ships undertook anti-air and anti-submarine warfare exercises, weapon firings, tracking and tactical maneuvers.

On the second day as well, the Indian Navy and Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) ships undertook weapon drills, seamanship evolutions and advanced exercises.

The event commenced on September 26 and went up to September 28. The exercise took place during the time of growing concerns over China's military activity in the Indian Ocean Region as well as in the Indo-Pacific.

The last edition of JIMEX was conducted in October 2018 off Visakhapatnam, India.

Naval cooperation between India and Japan has increased in scope and complexity over the years. Advanced level of operations and exercises planned during JIMEX-20 are indicative of the continued upswing in Indo-Japanese defence relations and continued efforts by both governments to work closely for a more secure, open and inclusive global commons, in accordance with international regulations.

JIMEX 20 will further enhance the cooperation and mutual confidence between the two navies and fortify the long-standing bond of friendship between the two countries.